Cal City RDA to consider development projects, Retail center, homes planned

BY DEBBY BADILLO

CALIFORNIA CITY - Several development projects will be on the April 20 agenda for the redevelopment agency when it holds several public hearings to consider the sale of several parcels for possible commercial and residential

"I want to be a part of your city," San Diego developer Michael J. Ellison said at the March 16 RDA meeting. "I'm ready to start as soon as you approve (the plans). ... I have all the money I need."

Ellison wants to buy 7.5 acres at the southwest corner of California City Boulevard and California City Boulevard South, where he plans a retail center that could include a gas station, movie theater, family restaurant, pizza restaurant, dollar store, and about 17 other retail outlets. A community survey will let him know what other types of franchises to seek for the space, Ellison said, including a supermarket, if that's what residents say they want.

The project is within the Villages Specific Plan and requires approval of both the RDA and the City Council, whose members form the RDA board of directors. Separate meetings keep agency and council decisions separate. Also within the Villages development area are two residential developments.

Local contractor Larry Grimshaw wants to build single family homes on seven acres at Hacienda Boulevard and Village Center Drive, and Developer Gil Montano plans to build 120 townhouses in a gated senior citizen community on 13 acres at North Loop Boulevard and Lakeshore Drive.

Matrix revisited

In other business, the agency continued a discussion of how to recover at least some of the money invested in the Matrix manufacturing company that took about $1 million of agency money to develop a production facility at the airport, but failed to finish the project. Agency director Bill Dempsey advised staff to consider asking the Internal Revenue Service to investigate the company, while at the same time pursuing possible action through the district attorney's office.
 
 

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